WildTop Soft Canvas Truck Cap/Rack Installed

[heady]

Installed a WildTop canvas topper from Australia this evening. I didn't do the drill install of the brackets yet to the truck bed, just C-clamps for now... Looks like truck cap style clamps would work fine, or you could even add a little bit of hardware and connect the existing brackets to the locking rails, you can probably see what I mean in the photos. I didn't wet the canvas yet in full sun but it should shrink and tighten over time which improves the looks on these canvas covers. According to FedEx it weighs 46 lbs. in the box.

It took 9 days to arrive, $1,460 w/ sales tax, I added the opening/roll up front flap to be able to access the pass through rear window for $99, and added a ladder rack removal kit for $30, just a bag of hardware and grommets to seal the rack bolt holes so you don't have to have the racks catching wind all the time while not in use.

I had a Softtopper before on a truck and I really liked it, but it was not sturdy in snow and would get squashed down if I let any snow accumulate on it, and up north here that can be a problem if you can't get to it right away during a storm. I like the load bearing capability of the WildTop, that will really come in handy with a short bed truck; might do a roof top tent some day, too.

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[NYbiomed]

Nice option, but I'm on my 2nd SofTopper- formerly on my Honda Ridgeline too. I've never had a problem at all with sag. As long as the straps are tight at the corners, never an issue and I had mine installed on the Honda for 7 years. I like the weight/load bearing of the Wildtop, I can see that being useful at times for sure! It does run about $500 more than the SofTopper tho, but that's not too bad either, has it been kinda waterproof?

 

[heady]

Yeah, the softopper on mine would squish quite readily, especially with a wet snow, it was also an 8ft. bed - the straps weren't stopping the tubes and those tiny pivot pins and brackets from yielding under many pounds of snow .... I imagine they are more sturdy on short bed pickups though.

Hasn't rained since I put it on yesterday, but I'll certainly report on the ongoing findings as I go!

 

[Escapologist]

Sweet, kinda gives me LWB Series Land Rover 5 door vibes. Though if I was trying to call to that, I'd go with the "Any color you like as long as it's tan" typical of them.

 

[heady]

Question, did you seal the funnel Ford created where the cab trim piece meets the side rail trim piece? Also the weld point valley on each side of the bed bulkhead. I installed a hard tonneau cover and tested it with a hose with the tailgate down and water shoots in at those places. The cover I bought is low profile and has rubber seals which work great on flat surfaces but does not fill those valleys. The manufacturer is sending me items to try since they NEVER tested a cover on a Maverick. I tried foam weatherstripping and it would not fill those areas well enough.

I saw the locations you mention but didn't seal them yet, I wanted to wait to see how much they leak in real world conditions first. That's one of the reasons I clamped the cap in place, so any adjustments or alterations can be made before finalizing install. I still have other items I'll add as well, some extra interior lighting and third brake light are high on the list too.

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